The primary job of a boxing manager is to maneuver his fighters into a position where they can make the most money and achieve the greatest success at the least risk.Legendary Baltimore boxing figure Mack Lewis has followed this formula expertly the past 12 years in managing the ring career of Vincent Pettway, who meets journeyman Harold Bennett, of Winston-Salem, N.C., in the main event at Teamsters Hall tomorrow night.Pettway, now 39-6, made his professional debut in 1984 as a welterweight.

ATLANTA - The Orioles must submit their Opening Day roster to Major League Baseball by midnight tonight, and manager Mike Hargrove said the players won't know the final decisions until late this afternoon. The 25-man roster is mostly set, but a few battles still remain. Ryan McGuire and Luis Garcia are fighting for the fifth outfield spot, while Mike Moriarty and Brian Roberts are battling for the utility infield spot. The Orioles made some expected moves yesterday, placing reliever Rodrigo Lopez on the 40-man roster and placing Albert Belle on the 60-day disabled list.

* Leonard Safir, 71, a veteran radio and television producer who was a public relations executive, died of lung cancer Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, N.Y.* Rita Corday, a Tahiti-born actress who appeared in several "B" movies in the 1940s and 1950s, died at a Los Angeles hospital Nov. 23 of complications from diabetes. She was believed to be in her 70s. Miss Corday, the child of Swiss diplomats, appeared in movies under her own name and as Paula Corday and Paule Croset.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Luis Rivera finally made it to the Orioles' spring training complex yesterday after touching down in south Florida the previous night. Unfortunately for him, Rivera brought more than his luggage. Rivera also showed up with some mild inflammation in his right shoulder, which forced him to stop throwing about 10 days ago and will further delay his return to a normal pitching schedule. The club is putting him on a long-toss program rather than allowing him to throw off a mound or face hitters.

NEW YORK -- Lennox Lewis has talked bravely of fighting and beating Mike Tyson if and when promoter Don King clears the way for a heavyweight championship showdown this year.But last night at Madison Square Garden, Lewis did little to make Tyson fearful while winning a controversial majority 10-round decision over Ray Mercer, a 7-1 underdog.Lewis looked like just the latest British title pretender in barely surviving this brutal encounter with Mercer, who never has been considered a heavyweight of the first order.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Luis Rivera finally made it to the Orioles' spring training complex yesterday after touching down in south Florida the previous night. Unfortunately for him, Rivera brought more than his luggage. Rivera also showed up with some mild inflammation in his right shoulder, which forced him to stop throwing about 10 days ago and will further delay his return to a normal pitching schedule. The club is putting him on a long-toss program rather than allowing him to throw off a mound or face hitters.

BOSTON - Until further notice, Chuck McElroy's middle name will remain "Undecided." While the Orioles have yet to name their starting pitcher for Friday's game against the New York Yankees, manager Mike Hargrove is leaning toward giving the career reliever his second start in as many weeks. The move does not suggest a permanent role change for McElroy, but it does offer protection for several young arms taxed by innings or injury. McElroy's run of 603 major-league appearances without a start ended in the first game of last Wednesday's doubleheader against the Oakland A's when he delivered five shutout innings in the Orioles' 2-0 win. Hargrove then quipped it would be another 600 appearances before McElroy's next start.

ATLANTA - The Orioles must submit their Opening Day roster to Major League Baseball by midnight tonight, and manager Mike Hargrove said the players won't know the final decisions until late this afternoon. The 25-man roster is mostly set, but a few battles still remain. Ryan McGuire and Luis Garcia are fighting for the fifth outfield spot, while Mike Moriarty and Brian Roberts are battling for the utility infield spot. The Orioles made some expected moves yesterday, placing reliever Rodrigo Lopez on the 40-man roster and placing Albert Belle on the 60-day disabled list.

BOSTON - Luis Rivera has faced only four hitters as an Oriole, but that's enough to reassure his new organization he is everything it anticipated. Rivera, 22, yesterday completed his first side session since making a relief appearance in the first game of Wednesday's split doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics. No problem. "I thought he looked great," said vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift. "He threw effortlessly and with command. Very encouraging." Manager Mike Hargrove said yesterday that Rivera will likely appear again but said there is no prescribed number or "agenda" under which the club is operating.

BOSTON - Until further notice, Chuck McElroy's middle name will remain "Undecided." While the Orioles have yet to name their starting pitcher for Friday's game against the New York Yankees, manager Mike Hargrove is leaning toward giving the career reliever his second start in as many weeks. The move does not suggest a permanent role change for McElroy, but it does offer protection for several young arms taxed by innings or injury. McElroy's run of 603 major-league appearances without a start ended in the first game of last Wednesday's doubleheader against the Oakland A's when he delivered five shutout innings in the Orioles' 2-0 win. Hargrove then quipped it would be another 600 appearances before McElroy's next start.

BOSTON - Luis Rivera has faced only four hitters as an Oriole, but that's enough to reassure his new organization he is everything it anticipated. Rivera, 22, yesterday completed his first side session since making a relief appearance in the first game of Wednesday's split doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics. No problem. "I thought he looked great," said vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift. "He threw effortlessly and with command. Very encouraging." Manager Mike Hargrove said yesterday that Rivera will likely appear again but said there is no prescribed number or "agenda" under which the club is operating.

The primary job of a boxing manager is to maneuver his fighters into a position where they can make the most money and achieve the greatest success at the least risk.Legendary Baltimore boxing figure Mack Lewis has followed this formula expertly the past 12 years in managing the ring career of Vincent Pettway, who meets journeyman Harold Bennett, of Winston-Salem, N.C., in the main event at Teamsters Hall tomorrow night.Pettway, now 39-6, made his professional debut in 1984 as a welterweight.

NEW YORK -- Lennox Lewis has talked bravely of fighting and beating Mike Tyson if and when promoter Don King clears the way for a heavyweight championship showdown this year.But last night at Madison Square Garden, Lewis did little to make Tyson fearful while winning a controversial majority 10-round decision over Ray Mercer, a 7-1 underdog.Lewis looked like just the latest British title pretender in barely surviving this brutal encounter with Mercer, who never has been considered a heavyweight of the first order.

* Leonard Safir, 71, a veteran radio and television producer who was a public relations executive, died of lung cancer Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, N.Y.* Rita Corday, a Tahiti-born actress who appeared in several "B" movies in the 1940s and 1950s, died at a Los Angeles hospital Nov. 23 of complications from diabetes. She was believed to be in her 70s. Miss Corday, the child of Swiss diplomats, appeared in movies under her own name and as Paula Corday and Paule Croset.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Having failed in their quest to obtain a full-time shortstop, the New York Mets now are thinking of platooning at the most critical defensive position.While they continue to talk with the Cleveland Indians about Omar Vizquel and Mark Lewis, they have made an offer to 30-year-old free agent Luis Rivera.Jim Bronner, one of the agents representing Rivera, confirmed the offer yesterday and acknowledged that his client stood a better chance of playing regularly with the Mets than with any of the other clubs who have expressed an interest in Rivera.